FireFly

Sam's Diary (Session 13)

Tea Time

12

FEB/16

_ Last time, on ‘Nirvana’.

Previous session: A Town (‘Serenity View’) overlooking Serenity Valley, a barroom brawl that was deliberately started, Bar-owner (Elizabeth) being pressured to leave, Monty’s lost his Wife, Preacher Carson who dislikes the saloon, people going missing in town, and sightings of ghosts. Finished with heavy boots on the Gangplank.

This week. _

Virgil Morningstar, and a small passel of henchpeople, came to talk business with us, he asked us to transport some cargo from Phoenix Heights to his warehouse near the graveyard. He wants to avoid Alliance Involvement, and wants no questions asked. He has an auction scheduled to sell his mystery product – boxes 3×3×6 feet in size.

Chiquita’s a bit flirtier than normal, which is saying something, she seems to like what she sees in Morningstar.

We agree to do the job, even though we don’t like him. Contract is signed.

Monty’s wife has gone missing. He doesn’t like Morningstar.

I pass on a message from my Bunny, we’ve been assigned a meeting. We’re expected to go see Colonel Sally Wu, at Mei Long’s Fine Dining and Tea Rooms at 10am tomorrow. Half the group decide they’d rather be ministering to the poor.

Doc, and Heliotrope, give me their proxy votes, for the meeting with the Colonel. It must mean they trust me. Could it mean they actually like me?

Bunny is going get an angry response in his message box tomorrow. I am not happy about whatever he may have said to Col. Wu about my shipmates and me.

Colonel Wu is the alliance rep for the town.

Ms. Wu claims not to be related to Colonel Wu, so the decision to minister to the poor is clearly a co-incidence.

Heliotrope wants to go surreptitiously visit the rough side of town, get an ear to the ground, I can’t let her go alone, it might be fun. For the first time in a while, I get out the disguise kit, and we have a dress code for tonight – non-descript. Hey, we both speak french.

We spot a group of five men, standing out from the environment a bit, we overhear them saying ‘I think we’ll get old Max to sign next time’.

We go have brief drink at Elizabeths bar, see Kareem is already there, but go hang at the back anyway. Elizabeth says that Col. Wu seems to be a fair sort.

Is this where we got the idea that Morningstar is selling contracts for indenture?

Next day the Doc, Preacher, and Heliotrope, go to visit with the local Doctor, and help some locals, while Chiquita, Kareem, and I go to the Tea Rooms 20 minutes early.

Colonel Wu doesn’t come alone, but her people doesn’t say anything during the meeting. She’s irritated that my shipmates didn’t come along. She suspects Morningstar of criminal activity, but has no proof, since she already knows we’re doing a job for him. she wants us to help get her evidence of his misdeeds. I tell her we are transporting things for him, and suspect he’s selling indentured people. She says that’s more than they have figured out so far.

Kareem won’t stop shoving the contract in my face, says we’re not supposed to talk about the Morningstar Job.

Col. Wu wants us to do the delivery, and to then call her on a frequency she provides, to summon her people to catch him in the act, and arrest him. This plan seems unbelievably thin, Indentures are legal (though horrible), transporting is legal, and I’m betting that auctioning Indenture contracts is legal too. It is suspicious that he wants us to do this job on the quiet, but I don’t know what else could be happening.

I don’t know why, but I agree to do the job for Colonel Wu, and say my OWN price is to be kept out of any communications about this. I didn’t negotiate for my team. Maybe they’re not my team, maybe they’re friends?

Chiquita notices someone in the next booth over may have been listening, goes and pressures him in to a date (and at our ship too), while Chiq’ has him distracted, I go through his pockets grab his ID, note the details, and return them. Chiq notices a tattoo on his neck, seems he’s one of Monrningstars men.

Kareem and I decide to take a brisk return to the ship, to be ready for Chiq’s return. I think we’re about to lock this guy up on the ship for now.

On the way back to the ship from the Tea Rooms, I note we’re being followed, and decide to do nothing for now, since returning to the ship quickly is important, and it reveals nothing to anyone.

The person following approaches and says ‘Will you need help at Phoenix Heights? I’m with Colonel Wu.’.

Carter, Heliotrope, and the Preacher can’t find old Max.

After returning to the ship, I send Bunny an angry message about setting us up for this job to one of his alternate addresses, and ask for verification codes, to ensure I haven’t been tricked with the earlier message from him.